Effect of Runmu Xiaoyao Powder on TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Mice with Dry Eye and Liver Depression-heat Syndrome
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20260366
- VernacularTitle:润目逍遥散对干眼肝经郁热证模型小鼠TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB信号通路的影响
- Author:
Xin PENG
1
;
Xi LONG
1
;
Yuan ZHONG
1
;
Jun PENG
2
;
Qinghua PENG
1
Author Information
1. Hunan University of Chinese Medicine，Changsha 410208，China
2. The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine，Changsha 410007，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
dry eye;
liver depression-heat syndrome;
Runmu Xiaoyao powder;
inflammatory cytokine;
ocular surface damage;
toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88/nuclear factor-κB （TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB） signaling pathway
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2026;32(13):112-122
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of Runmu Xiaoyao powder on mice with dry eye and the syndrome of liver depression-heat syndrome based on the toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 （MyD88）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway. MethodsSixty-six C57BL/6J female mice were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， a sodium hyaluronate group， and high-， medium-， and low-dose Runmu Xiaoyao powder groups， with 11 mice per group. Except for those in the normal group， mice in the other groups were subjected to mouse models with dry eye and liver depression-heat syndrome by instilling a benzalkonium chloride solution and applying chronic pain stimulation in a dry environment. After modeling， mice in the high-， medium-， and low-dose Runmu Xiaoyao powder groups were administered intragastrically with 29.7， 14.85， 7.43 g·kg-1， respectively， twice a day for 14 consecutive days. The mice in the sodium hyaluronate group received 5 μL of sodium hyaluronate eye drops in each eye twice daily. The mice in the normal and model groups were administered intragastrically with an equal volume of deionized water. Measurements were taken of tear secretion in mice， irritability scores， corneal fluorescein staining， and histopathological changes in the cornea， lacrimal glands， meibomian glands， and liver tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and tumour necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the protein expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in corneal and lacrimal gland tissues. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and Western blot were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in corneal， lacrimal gland， and meibomian gland tissues. ResultsCompared with those in the normal group， mice in the model group exhibited significantly reduced tear secretion， significantly higher irritability scores， and more pronounced corneal fluorescence staining， with marked pathological damage observed in the cornea， lacrimal glands， meibomian glands， and liver tissue. IL-1β and TNF-α levels in serum were significantly elevated. The protein expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α in corneal and lacrimal gland tissues， as well as the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in corneal， lacrimal gland， and meibomian gland tissues， were all significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the sodium hyaluronate group and Runmu Xiaoyao powder groups with different doses exhibited increased tear secretion to varying degrees， alleviated corneal fluorescence staining and histopathological damage， reduced IL-1β and TNF-α levels in serum， and downregulated protein expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α in corneal and lacrimal gland tissues， as well as the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB p65 in corneal， lacrimal gland， and meibomian gland tissues. The high-dose Runmu Xiaoyao powder group demonstrated a more pronounced effect， with multiple indicators showing superior results compared to those in the sodium hyaluronate group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionRunmu Xiaoyao powder down-regulates the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway activity in the cornea， lacrimal glands， and meibomian glands of model mice with dry eye and liver depression-heat syndrome， thereby suppressing inflammatory responses and mitigating ocular surface tissue damage. The therapeutic effect is dose-dependent， and the high-dose group exerts the most prominent effect.
